Trail builder



March 3, 1942. F. P. LAWLER TRAILBUILDER Filed Nov. 28, 1940 2 sheets-sheet 1 .NmN

NVENTOR /plfm if() W. hun,

ATTORNEY March 3, i942. F P, LAWLER 2,275,391

TRAILBUILDER Filed Nov. 28, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNvENToR JEJE. 5.. [4V/ff mam/LL Patented Mar. 3, 1942 UNITED STATES? PATENT OFFICE TRAIL BUILDER Frank P. Lawler, Chicago, lll., assignor to The Buckeye Traction Ditcher Company, Findlay, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application November 28, 1940, Serial No.` 367,521

2 Claims.

adjustment and without the necessity o'f bodilyv removing the mold board from its frame.

Another object is to produce a device of the above character in which the mold board is bodily separable from the supporting frame, thereby enabling the frame to be used in connection with the tractor as a bumper or pusher.

A further object is to produce an implement of the above character which can be positioned closely to the front end of the tractor to increase the eiiiciency of the machine and so mount the mold board that it can be angularly adjusted about a horizontalaxis in 'an exceedingly simple and convenient manner.

A still further, object is to produce a relatively simple and inexpensive implement of the above character which has-the new and improved features of construction, arrangement and operation hereinafter described, and for purposes of illustration but knot of limitation, an embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which' Figure 1 is al top perspective viewI of a trailbuilder attachment secured to a tractor, the ,same

' comprises a tractor T to which is secured a trailbuilder attachment A. The trailbuilder atv tachment A comprises a mold board lil which is disposed in upright position and has a downward and forward slanting blade surface I I. In spaced relation tc the vback of the blade surface II is a plate i2 wxhich is suitably welded in position. Secured by welding centrally to the back of the blade surface It and passing through the plate I2 is a pin I3. The pin I3 projects a distance rearwardly of the mold board and`provides a pivotal mounting therefore as will hereinafter appear. Formed in the back of the mold board are l l four'arcuate elongate slots I4 which have an axis coinciding with that of the pin I3. In this instance it will be observed that two slots I4 spaced vertically from each other are arranged at opposite sides'of the pin I3. Passing through the slots I4 are bolts I5 respectively, the heads being shaped to pass through the slots I4 and then be turned at right angles in order to prevent the bolts from coming loose from the slots. The bolts I5 have a loose sliding fit within the slots It v so that the mold board I0 can move relatively to the bolts as willhereinafter appear.

Extending transversely of and in front of the tractor T is a cross beam IG which is disposed relatively close to the forward end of the tractor and is formed `with a central opening I1 to'receive the pin I3 on the rear face of the mold board. Fixed as by welding to the upper and lower sides of the cross beam I6 are blocks I8 which are apertured to receive lthe bolts I5 respectively. As indicated on Figure l, nuts I9 engage the rear ends of the bolts I5 and, when tightened, draw the mold board I Il up tightly against the front face'of the cross beam I6 and securely hold it in place.

When it is desired angularly-to adjust the mold board lIU relative to the cross beam I6, the nuts I9 are loosened and the mold board can then be tilted abouta horizontal axis. After the mold board has been rocked to the desired position, the nuts I9 are again tightened to hold the mold boardin the adjusted position. Such adjustment can be readily and conveniently accomplished without detaching the mold board from its frame thereby materially facilitating the adjusting operation, it being merely necessary to lift the mold board from the ground so that it is free to be tilted.

Extending rearwardly from each end of the mold board Ill' is alongitdinal beam 20 the forward end of which is connected to the cross beam for pivotal movements about a vertical axis, the front end of each beamA 2II` being forked to receive the adjacent end'of the cross beam i6 therebetween. A bolt 2| passes through the end-portions each ofthe beams I8 and 20 to enable the swinging movement to be accom.- plished. Each longitudinal beamv20 telescopes with a beam 2,2, the rear end of which is pivotgallyl connected vat 23 to the rear axle of the tractor T. The particular form of pivotal connection 23 is well-known to those skilled in this art and since it forms no part o'f the present invention, iur` ther description is'not considered necessary. Carried by each beam 22 is a pair of bolts 24 which engage the adjacent beam for locking the same in the position of longitudinal telescopic adjustment. r

A pair of diagonal braces 25 extend from longitudinal beams 20 to the cross beam I6.

A yoke is formed on each end o! each ofthe braces 25 to fit over thebeams 20 and I8 and a series of holes 26 in the cross beam I5 and holes 2l in the longitudinal beams 20 enable the cross beamrto assume the desired angular position transversely of the track of movement.

vWhat I claim is: v 1. Earth moving device for mounting on a tractor, comprising across beam arranged transversely and in close juxtaposition to the frontv oi' the tractor, longitudinally disposed beams connected to opposite ends of the cross beam and extending rearwardly along adjacent sides of the tractor, a mounting forthe rear end of each of said longitudinal beams with 4the tractor,

Obviously by loosening the braces, one or the other of the longitudinal beams 2|! may bev extended or retracted to eilect the desired transverse angular adjustment whereupon the braces 25 are secured in the proper holes as will be readily apparent.

Fixed to-the outer side of each of `the braces- 25 is a bracket 28 to which a sheave arrangement 29,v is secured. A cable is trained about the sheaves 29 and extend to the tractor T, eventually being connected to a power driven hoist H The mounted at the rear end of the tractor. hoist H is operated to raise or lower the trailbuilder attachment A which swings about its pivotal mounting with the rear axle of Athe tractor as is well understood in the art. l

a pin loosely connecting an intermediate portion of the mold board on said cross beam enabling rocking movements of `the former about a horizontal axis and enabling removal `of the mold` board from said cross beam, elongate arcuate slots having an axis common to saidpin and arranged in said mold board, bolts having one 'end disposed in said arcuate slots respectively and adapted to extend through openings formed It will be manifest from the above description` to position the blade in the desired manner without in lany way aiiecting the frame structure or removing the blade from the frame. This arrangement is also desirable since it can be positionedin close juxtaposition'to the front end of the tractor `which is always desirable in attachments of this character. Y

It is to be understood thatv numerous changes in details of construction, arrangement' and operation may be eiiected without ydeparting from the spirit of the invention especially as defined in the appendedzclaims.

yin said cross beam, and nuts engaging the ends of said bolts for rigidly securing the mold board in predetermined position against said Vcross beam, whereby removal of said nuts makes possible bodily separation of the mold board fromv the cross beam.

2. Earth moving device for mounting on a tractor, comprising a crossA beam arranged transversely 'of and in closejuxtaposition to the iront ofv the-tractor. longitudinally disposed telescopic beams pivoted respectively to opposite ends of the cross beam yfor movement about vertical axes, a pivotal mountingfor the opposite ends of 'said telescopic beams vrespectively and the adjacent side' of`the tractor, diagonal braces connecting said telescopic longitudinal beams and said cross beam respectively adapted tov be selectively secured in one of several positions for adjusting the 'position of the cross beam relativeto the tractor, an upright mold board disposed in front of and in abutting relation to the front of said cross beam, a detachable pivotal mounting for connecting said mold board to said cross beam enabling angular adjustment of` the mold board about a horizontal axis, elongate arcuate guides having an axis common to the pivotal mounting oi said mold board and carried by said mold board, bolts passing through said slots and extending through openings in said cross beam, and nuts on said bolts for rigidly securing the mold board to said lcross beam, thereby enabling angular adjustment of the mold board with respect to the cross beam with- 'out' separation of the cross beam and mold board;

FRANK P. LAWLER. 

